This invention relates to an automatic rhythm performing apparatus.
A variety of automatic rhythm performing apparatus for electronically generating rhythm tones are employed with various musical instruments. In such automatic rhythm performing apparatus, a rhythm to be generated can be readily selected before performance of a musical instrument by suitable selection means such as switches etc. It is, however, difficult to effect a start-stop control of a rhythm performance in time with the performance of another musical instrument. A simplest method for a start control, for example, is to start a rhythm performance by closing a start switch. In this case, an unavoidable result is that the performance of the musical instrument is started after a rhythm performance has been started. Therefore, rhythmical tones precedes the performance of the musical instrument.
Some existing automatic rhythm performing apparatus is built in an electronic musical instrument and is provided with a "synchrostart switch" and after the closure of the synchrostart switch a rhythm performance is started in synchronism with the operation of a lower keyboard or a pedal keyboard of the electronic musical instrument. Where an automatic rhythm performing apparatus is used in combination with an electronic musical instrument, it is desired that a rhythm performance can be started by the operation of a start switch, that a rhythm performance can be started, after the operation of a synchrostart switch, in synchronism with the operation of a keyboard, and that a rhythm performance can be started or stopped at player's will during rhythm performance.